If you are building a new home, or intend to renovate your house or add an extension, you may need:
- a builder
- a quantity surveyor
- a tradesperson
- a demolisher
- a building surveyor
- a draftsperson
- an architect
- an engineer.
Some people refer to these as 'building contractors', but under Victorian law they are all building practitioners. They must:
- use a major domestic building contract for all work worth more than $5000, including renovations, extensions and repairs
- take out domestic building insurance to cover you if the work is worth more than $12,000. They must give you a certificate of currency for the insurance before they take a deposit and start to build a house, extend or renovate an existing home, or carry out maintenance
- be registered with the Building Practitioners Board to carry out work worth more than $5000, except for work involving only one of the following:
- plastering
- tiling (wall and floor)
- electrical work
- glazing
- insulating
- painting
- plumbing, gas-fitting and draining
- installing floor coverings
- attaching external fixtures (awnings, security screens, insect screens and balustrades)
- erecting a chain wire fence around a tennis court
- erecting a mast, pole, antenna, aerial or similar structure.
A person must be registered if they are:
- using a combination of skills, such as plastering and painting, to complete a renovation, extension, repairs or any other job
- going to do work that requires a building permit – for example, reblock, restump, demolish or remove a home, regardless of the value of this work.
- To check if a builder is registered, visit the Find a registered building practitioner page on the Building Commission website.
- If you are looking at a display home (even if it is the builder’s own home), view our Display homes and land packages page.
Last updated: 13/05/2012